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The Camps Bay killer continues to appeal to the Supreme Court

The Camps Bay killer continues to appeal to the Supreme Court

Diego Novella, dubbed the Camps Bay Killer, has continued his appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) and his legal team have confirmed that they are awaiting a date for the hearing of Novella’s appeal. Cape {City} etc Reports.

Novella is currently being held at Brandvlei Prison in the Western Cape.

Also read: Diego Novella, dubbed the “Camps Bay Killer,” has been granted leave to appeal

Novella was granted permission to “appeal his conviction” and his sentence for the murder of Gabriella Kabrins Alban, his American girlfriend.

“We are still waiting for an appointment from the registrar of the SCA. “Then we will file the arguments and the appeal on the fixed date,” said lawyer William Booth, Novella’s lawyer.

Earlier this year, Booth had confirmed that they were waiting for a transcript of the trial to be “typed up,” and according to court records, Novella’s leave to appeal was filed in 2021, which was ultimately granted in August 2023.

“The learned judge could not find any substantial and compelling circumstances that would justify a departure from the minimum sentence of 15 years of direct imprisonment,” Novella said in his application.

“In appealing against the sentence, I contend that there are sufficient mitigating circumstances to warrant a more lenient sentence, not only in light of the circumstances of the offense, but also in light of my specific personal circumstances,” Novella added.

Novella claimed his sentence was “too harsh” and that his cognitive abilities were impaired by “taking certain substances” when Alban was murdered.

Novella told his legal team in 2023 that he was “satisfied” with the outcome of his leave to appeal as he believed his conviction and sentence were wrong.

He pleaded not guilty to murder and said he did not intend to kill Alban.

Novella claimed he was in an “abnormal state of mind” due to hallucinogenic substances, which affected his ability to distinguish between right and wrong, as reported by IOL.

According to Novella, after his arrest he was transferred to the Valkenberg psychiatric clinic, where he was under observation.

It was a unanimous decision of the panel at the time of the incident that he had “diminished responsibility,” Novella added.

Novella explained that he had been in a long-term relationship with Alban since 2013 and that she moved to Guatemala with him in 2014.

The couple moved to South Africa in 2015 to seek medical treatment for Alban’s illness, as she suffered from Lyme disease.

Novella was arrested in Cape Town in July 2015, the same day Alban’s body was discovered by hotel staff in Camps Bay.

Also read:

Man accused of rape wins bail appeal in Western Cape High Court

Picture: Brenton Geach/Gallo Images